Daredevil leaps from 24 miles up

October 14, 2012 |Compiled by chron.com

An Austrian thrill seeker goes after a speed record in a dive over New Mexico

Pedrag Vuckovic/AFP/Getty Images

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This picture provided by www.redbullcontentpool.com shows pilot Felix Baumgartner of Austria landing in the desert after successfully completing the final manned flight for Red Bull Stratos in Roswell, New Mexico, on October 14, 2012. The Austrian daredevil became the first man to break the sound barrier in a record-shattering freefall jump from the edge of space, organizers said. The 43-year-old leapt from a capsule more than 24 miles (39 kilometers) above the Earth, reaching a speed of 706 miles per hour (1,135 km/h) before opening his red and white parachute and floating down to the New Mexico desert.

Pedrag Vuckovic/AFP/Getty Images

5of13

This picture provided by www.redbullcontentpool.com shows pilot Felix Baumgartner of Austria landing in the desert after successfully completing the final manned flight for Red Bull Stratos in Roswell, New Mexico, on October 14, 2012. The Austrian daredevil became the first man to break the sound barrier in a record-shattering freefall jump from the edge of space, organizers said. The 43-year-old leapt from a capsule more than 24 miles (39 kilometers) above the Earth, reaching a speed of 706 miles per hour (1,135 km/h) before opening his red and white parachute and floating down to the New Mexico desert.